Sound the Bugle The story of Rain Shadow
by SilentxTearsxShatteredxSoul
Summary: The song of a lead mare's story. She's been captured and taken from her home and everything that she knew. Can there be hope in a broken wild heart?


Sound the bugle now, play it just for me. As the seasons change, remember how I used to be . . .

I stand in the corral, alone. My body marred with whiplash scars. My dull eyes half open, gazing at the beauty of the western horizon. Man had taken me from my home. Man had abused me harshly for refusing them. Man had caged me into solitary confinement. My herd was beyond those hills, off to the far west. I knew that they missed me, as much as I missed them. Or . . . have they forgotten me too? It has been four months since I had seen the beauty of my homeland. The tall, lush green grass waving as the wind blew softly in rhythmic currents, the rushing river near the woods south of our home. The canyons far north, towering over the west, casting lengthy shadows over us. The wind calling my name, leading me home. The sun on my back, warming me as I ran. My shadow chasing after me, always neck and neck to me as I galloped down the open plains. I remember everything.

Now I can't go on. I can't even start. I got nothin' left, just an empty heart . . .

The perpetual grip of the rope halter would never loosen. I close my eyes, whickering sadly. I lay down on the cold earth, folding my legs under me as a tear slowly cascades down my face. I was alone in a world I knew nothing of. The only thing I could ever come to understand was the piercing pain that was in my shattered heart. The only thing that man gave to me was pain. Pain from taking me from my homeland. The pain which they give me when I refuse the saddle. The pain I get from realizing . . . that this could by my home . . . forever.

I'm a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight. There's nothin' more for me, lead me away . . . or leave me lyin' here . . .

How could I return home? I was being held against my will, far from all that I knew, and now . . . I'm in the world of men. I opened my eyes and lifted my gaze painfully back to the western horizon. If only I could just break free. If only I could jump over these fences and gallop home, where I belong. I have no business being a slave to men! Because that's what all the others are-slaves. They have no mind of their own. It's like they were programmed to do nothing to defend themselves and listen to a human. A human! The thought of that word brings fury and weariness to my mind. I laid my head down onto the ground, closing my eyes, whickering sadly once more.

Sound the bugle now. Tell them I don't care. There's not a road I know, that leads to anywhere. Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark. Lay right down, decide not to go on . . .

There was nothing left for me. Too long had I hoped. Too long I had dreamed. Too long had I wished that somehow, I would be free again. I was weak. Everything that I had known, everything that I loved . . . was gone. Who am I kidding? I could never break free from these ropes, or this cage. I was one of them now. A mindless beast who had no will, no mind, and no home to run to. This- this nightmare of bits, saddles, and whips- was home. This is where I belonged now. They are who I belonged too now. My dreams shattered, my hopes and wishes were whispered away by the wind. My life . . . was now in their hands.

Then from on high, somewhere in the distance. There's a voice that calls remember who you are . . .

My ears twitched when I heard a cry. I lifted my gaze once more, looking to the west, pressing my ears forward. I heard the cry again, but this time, others joined it. I squinted, looking to the hills and I couldn't believe what I saw. Traza and Tyeco reared, neighing loudly, the wind carrying it across the plains. My herd added the echo as they called for me. I nickered softly, looking at the two stallions that called for me in disbelief. They _hadn't_ forgotten me! Traza and Tyeco neighed again, calling out to me. My spirits lifted slightly, and my shattered heart cried out in reply. I got to my feet slowly, my legs quaking under me. I reared, neighing as loud as my parched throat would let me.

If you lose yourself, your courage soon will follow. So be strong tonight . . . remember who you are . . .

I landed on all four hooves and looked back to the hills. My spirits demit as I watched Traza and Tyeco disappear. I nickered sadly, my eyes darting back and forth, hoping that I would catch some glimpse of them galloping towards me. Unfortunately, nothing stirred, nothing moved. I pressed my ears forward hard, straining to hear any thundering hooves, nickers, or just anything. Nothing. Nothing but the lonely howl of the wind as it called for something it lost. I lowered my gaze, closing my eyes, nickering sadly once more. They had left me, alone. My heart cried out, but not I reply. In sorrow; the way it had shattered before. The wind's lonely howl filled my ears, causing my spirits to lower even more. My head sunk low, my muzzle almost touching the ground and I flicked my ears backward. Like the wind, I was alone.

Yeah, you're a soldier now. Fighting in a battle, to be free once more . . .

Their cries echoed throughout my mind. My ears flicked forward and I grunted, lifting my gaze to the horizon once more. The sun was setting, the golden rays making the hill shimmer like emeralds. The sky was a tapestry of hot pink, dark orange, and gold. The clouds moved slowly as they were dyed a darker shade of pink. I nickered again, more determination filling me. True, they were not in sight anymore. But, that doesn't mean they're not there. I knew they were there, I had just seen them. I knew they hadn't forgotten me. I knew they believed that one day I would return home, and those facts alone, gave me the strength I needed. I turned to look at the ropes that were tied to the wooden post. Those ropes tied to my halter, holding me inside the corral. I glared at them angrily, throwing my head up and down. I finally got the ropes into my mouth and I gnawed at them. The first two snapped and my heart pounded against me chest. Only two more to go. I gnawed like a maniac, grinding my front teeth against them. They finally snapped and I backed up. I turned myself to the west, the wild, untouched west. My heart increased in its pounding and I backed up until my rear touched the other side of the corral.

"The mare! The mare is lose!"

I threw my head, nickering in determination and bolted forward. I heard other sets of pounding feet other than my own. I heard the swooping of ropes as the humans took aim at me. But, before the ropes could even graze my skin, I had lifted my front hooves off the ground and pushed off the ground with my back legs. I soared into the air, and cleared the fence. I threw my head to the side and reared, pushing myself into the air once more and galloped west. I was free, and I was heading home. No more ropes, no more humans, no more mindless horses. My heart soared as I galloped hastily to those emerald hills. The hills were the only thing that separated the plains and me from my homeland, where my herd, my family, belonged.

Yeah that's worth fighting for!


End file.
